Unleashing the Monster
by InuDani
Summary: Kyo's time is finally up. How will the others react? Will Kyo be able to pull through his grief, or will he waist away in his own imprisonment? The story is good, I promise. COMPLETE!
1. Moving In

Alrighty then! This is my super-awesome, uber-cool, spaz-taztic Fruits Basket fanfic. Excited? I am! Ok, then! Let's light this bad boy!

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**Unleashing the Monster **

**Chapter 1: Moving In **

"Well, Here's your new living quarters, Kyo."

Kyo dropped his duffle bag on the floor with a dull thump, causing a small cloud of dust to rise, and peered around the small, dirty apartment. If it could be called that. It consisted of a single room. A small refrigerator and table were shoved in one corner. A small dresser in the other, a sleeping mat rolled up next to it. A couch sat next to the door, pointed at a tiny TV set. That was about it.

At first glance, It merely seem like a small, dirty apartment. But then you may notice the old steel bars fitted into the only window. Kind of like a prison. Which is exactly how Kyo saw it. His own, personal, disgusting prison. He felt a deep loathing spread through his chest. Yet, it wasn't hatred for the lonely room itself. It was for the bastard in front of him, evil smile spread across his sickly face. Kyo ground his teeth as Akito held out his arms, showing off the room.

"You like it, Kyo?" He asked, looking around the room as though it was a priceless treasure. "I guess it is a little dirty, isn't it? Well, I daresay you will have _plenty _of time to clean it, won't you?"

Kyo clenched his fist.

The god looked down at his watch. "Oh, dear, I simply must get going. Important matters..you Know how it is." He walked over to the door, fishing a set of keys from his pocket. "I'm so glad you're back , Kyo." His voice dripped with spite. "Now I can keep an eye on you." With that, he snapped the door closed, leaving Kyo alone in his private exile. As the key turned purposefully slow in the lock, the cat lost it.

Swinging his fist at the nearest object, Kyo felt no satisfaction as his hand went through the back of the couch. He stood frozen for a moment, breathing heavily. Then closed his eyes and stood up, taking a deep, calming breath. He couldn't let Akito get to him.

Running a hand through his thick orange hair, Kyo grabbed his bag and wandered over to the dresser. He dropped it on the ground, flopping down next to it. The sound of the zipper echoed loudly through the silent room, causing the hairs on Kyo's neck to stand on end. _'It's too quiet.' _He thought, pulling clothes out of his bag to put in the dresser. He wasn't used to silence. There was always a fight going, or side comments made by a certain perverted dog. Or _she_ would be singing; humming softly to herself as she hung the laundry out to dry, the sun reflecting off her dark brown hair….

Kyo shook his head. _'Don't think about it'_ He reminded himself. He tugged a shirt out of the bag and uncovered an old cigar box. Kyo sighed, setting aside the T-shirt and opening the box.

Taped to the inside of the lid was an old, faded photo of his mother. She was smiling, a real smile. Kyo never saw her with a smile that bright. Yes, she did always smile, but it was a fake smile; A hollow shell of happiness. Even back then Kyo could tell.

Next to his mother's picture was a newer photo. A girl in a bright pink swimsuit was kneeled in the sand, laughing as an ocean wave splashed up into her face. Her long, wet, brown hair was plastered to her thin form and her sapphire eyes shone with amusement. Every part of her screamed complete happiness.

Tohru's face suddenly blurred as Kyo looked away, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. He picked through the other objects in the box There was some chocolate Tohru hade made one year for Valentines Day, a ticket stub for the haunted house Momiji had made them go to, along with a receipt for the head Haru broke inside. He also had a seashell from the sand castle he and Tohru had made, and one of Tohru's hair ribbons. The last three years of his life seemed to be in the box….

Kyo snapped the lid closed and threw the box across the wooden floor, where it slid to a halt a few feet away. He started angrily pulling pants out of his duffle bag, trying desperately to block the emotions coming at him. As he jerked out the last pair, a slim metal case flew out of them and hit him hard in the head.

"Oww! What the hell?" He picked up the object, rubbing his forehead. He slid a fingernail into the crack and opened it. A folded piece of paper fell out onto his lap. The case was a double-sided picture frame. On one side, Tohru was standing in the woods with Kisa and a spastically happy Momiji. They were holding up nets and the rabbit was showing off a large, fat beetle. It was obviously taken at the beach house last summer. On the other side of the frame, Kyo realized with a jolt, was Tohru's picture of her mother. He stared at it a moment. _'Why would Tohru give me this?'_ He wondered incredulously.

He set down the picture frame and picked up the paper. He opened it with trembling fingers and instantly recognized Tohru's neat hand writing.

_Dear Kyo,_

_I'm not exactly sure what I'm suppose to say. Just saying "goodbye" sounds so wrong. I think I will see you again. I hope will all my heart I will._

_I thought maybe me and my mom could keep you company. To be honest, I didn't want to give her away, but I realized you need her more than I do._

_Kyo, I wanted to tell you in person, face to face, but, I…I ran out of time. So I'll say it now. I love you Kyo. I've loved you since…I can't remember when. I promise I will NEVER forget you. I don't think I could, even if I wanted to. I know we'll see each other again. So, goodbye, for now._

_Love,_

_Tohru_

Kyo let the note flutter to the ground as he buried his hands in his hair, groaning as the held back emotions swept through him. "She….she loves me?" He murmured to himself as tears stung at his crimson eyes. "Tohru loves _me_? Oh, Kami….."

He flopped on his back in his cold, now dark, room…cage. He let himself slip into sorrow. Sorrow for being here, sorrow for never confessing his feelings to Tohru, Sorrow that he could never see her again. And anger, too. Anger at Akito. Anger at his fate.

Anger at being the most cursed of all.

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Was it good? Was it? Tell me! I'll keep updating if you review! All I need is one person. I have this whole story written out, it's typing that's the problem. I'm not awsome at it. 

Meh Ego: Please Review!

Meh: Hey! Get back in your box!

-Inuyasha's Mate


	2. Breaking Down

I am so happy that people love my story. It's like, like you're just feeding my ego great big corndogs. _Sniffle_ I'm not gonna cry…I'm not gonna cry… here's your next chapter. Oh yeah, sorry it took so long, but I went on vacation right after I posted the first chapter and I just got back.

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**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 2: Breaking Down**

"How's she doing, Shigure?"

Tohru paused in the kitchen as Hatori's question met her ears. Shigure sighed.

"Well, she's Tohru. Wallowing in grief isn't really her thing. But, try as she may to hide it, I can tell she's upset. I catch her, when she thinks no one is looking… she looks so sad."

Ayame's voice filtered into the kitchen. "It seems Yuki is a bit depressed as well. Though, I'm sure he would never admit it. But when I tried to wake him this morning, he was rather violent. Well, more violent than normal…"

There was a pause in the conversation. Tohru straightened up and pulled the best smile onto her face _'They're worried about me? Oh, no, they can't worry about me…' _She lifted the tea kettle for the three men and went to enter the dining room.

"Have you seen Kyo, Hari?"

Tohru pulled back behind the doorway so fast that a large amount of tea sloshed out of the kettle. She ignored it as she bent in to hear Hatori's answer.

"No, Akito won't let anyone go near him. He says Kyo has to get used to living alone. Kureno takes him his meals, but that's it." Hatori's voice dropped, and Tohru had to lean closer to hear him. "I did get a chance to talk to Kureno, though, and he said Kyo isn't doing to good. He's not eating anything and he looks like he hasn't been sleeping either. He won't even talk to Kureno. He just sits in a corner, dazed. I think the realization of what's happened to him has finally got to him…"

Tohru leaned even closer as Hatori trailed off. Kyo's not eating? That's not good. Kyo has to eat something…

**_CRASH!_**

Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori turned to see Tohru lying in the doorway next to her broken tea kettle. "Tohru!" Shigure exclaimed worriedly. "Are you alright?"

Tohru sat up, a smile plastered across her face despite the hot pricking in her eyes. "I'm so sorry I broke you're kettle, Shigure. I must have tripped over something. L-let me clean this up, then I'll get you some more tea." She started to pick up the fragment of ceramic, but a warm hand fell over hers. She looked up into the pity-filled eyes of Shigure. "Don't worry about it, Tohru. We're grown men, we can take care of ourselves."

"Oh, but I-"

"Please, Tohru!" Ayame interrupted, standing up and throwing out his arms. "A most beautiful flower like yourself should not be belittling herself but making us tea. In fact," He whipped a can of tea out of an inside pocket in his coat. "I would be honored to make Hari and Gure a cup of _my_ tea! It is the greatest honor to drink this tea!"

Tohru looked at each of the men's faces. All three of them were smiling, But she could see the masked worry behind their gaze. She mustered as much happiness as she could into her own smile. "Thank you very much, Ayame. I guess…I guess I'll get ready for work." She stood up and bowed out of the living room.

When she got to the top of the stairs, she looked pointedly at her bedroom door, meaning to go there with out stopping. Yet, as she walked, her feet steered her towards Kyo's abandoned bedroom. She stopped outside the door and ran a finger down the frame and let it fall on the handle. Maybe… Maybe, if she just slid back the door, he would be there, sitting on his bed, scowling at the interruption.

Biting her lip, Tohru grasped the handle of the door and slid it open.

The room was almost the same. Kyo's sleeping mat was still lying on the floor, unmade like always. The door that led out to the small deck was closed tight. The room had a different feel to it, too. Before, it was full of Kyo's boundless energy, giving it a comforting feel. Now it was cold, neglected…dead.

Tohru bent over and started to straighten the covers on the sleeping mat when something made her stop. It seemed wrong, somehow, to fix it. Kyo was the last one to touch this bed. Then she noticed something. Reaching into the folds of the blankets, Tohru pulled out Kyo's dirty old green hoodie. "_Kyo_…" she whispered, letting tears well up in her eyes. He must have forgotten it when he…

_'He's not eating anything…'_

"Miss Honda?"

Tohru spun around at the sound of Yuki's soft voice. He was leaning in the doorway, surveying her with a concerned look. "Y-Yuki!" She stuttered, standing up. "I…I didn't know you were home." She dashed a hand across her eyes, scolding herself for the wetness she felt on her fingers. "I thought you were at Machi's."

Yuki sighed and walked into the room. "I just got back. I was on my way to my room when I noticed the door was open and-" He reached out and touched Kyo's hoodie. "This…this is Kyo's isn't it? Did he forget it?"

Tohru shrugged, feeling her throat burn again. She looked up at Yuki and her eyes widened. He was looking around the room, a pained expression creasing his face. There was an odd emotion in his eyes. Regret?

"You miss him, don't you?"

Yuki refocused on her, surprise filling his gaze. He looked back around the dark room. "It's hard not to miss something so annoying." He muttered unconvincingly.

Tohru let out a little laugh at the irony. The Rat had finally accepted the Cat, but the cat was gone. Tohru's laughter quickly dissolved to tears. Why? Why does it have to be this way? It's so unfair, so wrong. She sunk to her knees, sobbing into Kyo's hoddie, clinging to it like a lifeline.

Yuki knelt down next to her. She could hear him trying to comfort her. After a moment, she felt his hand rub her back awkwardly.

'_What am I doing?'_ Tohru thought as her sobs diminished into ragged hiccups. _'I can't get down like this. I can't be weak.'_ Steeling herself, she stood up quickly, startling Yuki.

"Are you going to be alright, Miss Honda?" He asked, standing up as well. She nodded and pushed away the last of her tears with the back of her hand.

"Thank you, Yuki, I…I'm sorry I broke down like that."

He just shook his head and reached up, wiping a stray tear with his thumb. "It's alright, Miss Honda, You…you have a lot on your mind."

Tohru gave one last sniff, flashed him what must have been a very puffy eyed smile, and left the room to get ready for work. She turned back as she got to the door. Yuki was sliding open the door out to the deck. By the light now pouring into the room through the open door, Tohru saw him wipe a hand across his eyes.

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Everyone is sooo sad! Why! Who is sadist enough to make everyone go through such pain? Oh, yeah, me. Oh well, Review so you can find out what happens next!

-Inuyasha's Mate


	3. Visitation

I am on a roll! Ok, here is your next chappie! Bon Appetit!

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**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 3: Visitation**

The high school senior slid open his window as quietly as possible and leapt through it, wincing as his many necklaces clinked loudly in the silence. He reached back into the window and pulled out a backpack, then set off down the alley behind the houses. The cool summer night air whipped at his hair, swirling the strands of white and black together.

He crept along the stone walkways between the houses and out of sight of any windows. If anybody saw him, he'd be in a lot of trouble. He finally got to an unused part of the compound. All the houses here lay in disrepair. Nobody bothered fixing them because none of them were in use. None of them but one.

Crouching under the window, the teen scowled at the thick metal bars set in them. He peered inside and saw his target lying on a sleeping mat on the floor. He was being bathed in moonlight, which told the teen two things. One, he was awake, and two, he looked as bad as he had heard he did. His face was thin and pale and his eyes looked very blood shot. Even his usual bight orange hair looked paler in the moonlight. He was staring blankly at the ceiling, apparently lost in thought. "Kyo?"

Kyo looked over, the dazed look still on his face. When he saw the boy standing outside his window, smiling, his eyes widened and he scrambled to stand up. "Haru…is that you?"

Haru winced at Kyo's croak of a voice. "No, it's the tooth fairy. Of course it's me. Who else would sneak out to see you?"

Kyo bit his dry, cracked lips as he moved closer to the window. "You shouldn't be here, Haru. You're going to get in trouble."

"Do you really think I care?" He countered, digging into his bag. "Ah, here we go." He pulled out a bottle of water and a handkerchief full of fried chicken. "Here. I heard you haven't been eating."

Kyo frowned at the offering. "I'm not hungry" he said roughly as his stomach growled in protest.

"Kyo, you gotta eat."

"Kureno couldn't get me to eat, neither can you."

"I beg to differ."

"Oh, really."

Haru sneered. "I have bargaining power."

"And what's that?"

"If you eat, I can tell you how a _certain_ girl is doing."

He watched in mild amusement as Kyo's eyes shot wide open. "Tohru? How is she? Is she ok? What's she doing?"

The cow merely held out the chicken. "Eat, then I'll talk."

The cat glared at Haru before taking the food. He eyed the chicken leg he was holding for a moment before taking a small bite. His eyes slid shut and he moaned with hunger, shoving the rest of the leg into his mouth. He inhaled the remainder of the food and chugged the water as though he had never had anything better. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Kyo passed Haru back the trash. "Alright, talk. Have you seen her?"

Haru nodded and looked at his feet as though they were mildly interesting. "I went to sensei's house with Momiji after school today."

"And?"

He gave Kyo a sad look. "She's really upset. Her face is pale and her eyes are blood shot- she actually looks like you, a little." He added, peering at Kyo's gaunt face. "Anyway, we stayed for dinner and she just kinda frowned at her food the whole time and didn't eat anything. Mmm…." He said suddenly, a sort of far off look in his eye. "She made us sausage. It was good sausage….."

Kyo let Haru have a good thirty seconds to reminisce about Tohru's food before he cleared his throat. "Is…Is that it?"

Haru looked back at the cat and continued talking as though he had not stopped. "I think she feels guilty. She knows you're not eating and she also knows it's her fault."

Kyo blinked in surprise. "She thinks…But it's not her fault!" He bust out angerly. "You tell her, Haru. You tell her-"

"But it is her fault, isn't it?"

Kyo drew her eyebrows together in confusion. "Wha-… how is it her fault? She had nothing to do with me being locked up like this. She's-"

"The reason you can't accept your fate." Haru finished for him. " Before Tohru came along, you were ready to come here and rot. You didn't care. But now…" He gestured at Kyo. "You're wasting away in grief."

Kyo winced at the accuracy of the cow's words. "She still shouldn't blame herself…" He muttered lamely, leaning his forehead against the cool metal set in the window.

Haru surveyed him for a moment before rummaging once again into his bag. This time he extracted an old bento box. "Here."

Kyo took the familiar looking box and opened it. It was crammed with many carefully made riceballs. "I think Tohru knew I was going to visit you. She made me these for later, but she knows that I don't like cod…I wish she'd made some from that sausage…"

Kyo swallowed a lump that had formed quite suddenly in his throat. "T-thanks." He muttered, noticing how cracked his voice sounded. Haru slipped a hand through the bars and gripped Kyo's shoulder. He looked up and noticed the cow's eyes were shining extra brightly in the moonlight.

"We…we miss you, Kyo. It's much too quiet without you."

The cat forced a smile. "I miss you guys, too."

Haru took a moment to zip his bag and replace it on his shoulders. He heard Kyo chuckle slightly and looked up at him. "What?"

"I just thought, maybe not letting people see me is a good thing."

Haru raised an eyebrow. "And why's that?"

"Cause when people finally get to visit, Kagura'll be so happy, she'll probably bust down the door for me." Haru laughed. "You should get going. If anyone catches you here, you'll probably get thrown in with me." He nodded and turned back down the path towards his house. "Haru."

He looked back. Kyo was harder to see farther away, but his eyes were shining in the moonlight. He ran a hand distractedly through his hair, frowning as though he wasthinking hard. "Tell Tohru…" He said finally. "Tell her I'm alright. Tell her I'm eating, Ok?"

"I can't lie to her, Kyo."

Kyo sighed deeply. "If…if Tohru thinks I'm eating, then I'll eat."

Haru simply smiled. He said his goodbyes and left, retracing his steps back through the darkness to his own house. As he relatched his window and climbed into bed, a thought occurred to him.

Maybe he should tell Kagura that Kyo was starving. She'd probably be so upset that she'd destroyKyo's entire house.

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(psst! FYI- A bento box is sort of like a wooden japanese lunch box. It's totally cool.)

Anywho, It was good right? It shure as hell better be good cause I acidentally missed Inuyasha while I was typing it. Poo..I hadn't seen the episode... It just shows my undying love for my few admiring readers!

Meh Ego: Pfft! "few admiring readers?" We rule the fanfiction website! MUHUAHAHA!

Meh:sigh: you've gotten to fat, haven'tyou.

REVIEW OR A THOUSAND OF MY ANGRY MUTANT YUKI PLUSHIES SHALL COME TO YOUR HOME AND EAT ALL YOURLEFT SHOES:insert ultra evil laugh:


	4. House Call

:sniffle: You guys! People really care about what I write! I'm so happy! You should see how big my ego is getting! I had to go out and buy him a whole new wardrobe! Here is your new chapter!

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**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 4: House Call**

Hatori clasped the snap on his doctor's bag and stood up. "I'm finished, Akito. Call if you need anything." He walked to the door to leave.

"Oh, Hatori."

The dragon paused, his hand on the door handle, and turned back to look at Akito. The young god was draped lazily across his bed, smiling serenely. "Maybe you should pay a visit to that monster. Kureno told me that he wasn't looking to good, and it would simply be _dreadful _if anything happened to him. I would go see him myself, but there is no way I can take time out of my-" He made a show of yawning and stretching, "-very busy schedule. So I guess the unwanted task falls to you. I'll even let you go in." He pointed to a set of keys sitting on the dresser. Hatori grabbed them and stowed them in his pocket.

"Watch out, though." Akito warned as Hatori left. "You can never trust a monster."

Hatori heard the god's gleeful laughter echo all down the hall.

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He slid the door open with a slight amount of difficulty, like it wasn't used to being used. Which was probably true. He noticed as he sat Kyo's lunch on the table that the room looked recently cleaned. It seemed maybe Kyo wasn't doing so bad if he was making an effort to make this place livable.

"About time Kureno, I'm starv-" Kyo froze on his way out of the bathroom when he saw Hatori. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Hatori smiled at Kyo's old gruff tone. His face was flush and healthy looking, and his hair was wet, which meant he must have just taken a shower. "Akito told me you were dying." He answered, pulling a stethoscope from his bag. "He told me to make sure you were still alive. Now take a deep breath."

Kyo scowled and knocked the stethoscope away. "I doubt Akito was worried about me. Anyway, I'm fine, so don't worry about it."

"That's not what Kureno said."

"Do I look sick?" the cat shot back, plopping down on the couch.

Hatori rolled his eyes, an uncharacteristic trait for the dragon. Kyo could be dying and he wouldn't admit he was sick. He walked over to the refrigerator and looked inside. "Is the only food you get the things Kureno brings for your meals?" He questioned, seeing only water in the refrigerator."

Kyo shrugged. "Basically. I think there might me some Ramen or somethin' on top of the fridge. But you don't have to believe me." He added as the dragon proceeded to look for food.

"I'm your doctor, Kyo. I have to make sure your staying healthy. It's my job."

Kyo gave him a sarcastic smile. "Gee, thanks for your concern."

The doctor smiled at Kyo's light attitude. Then he noticed a bento box sitting on the table. He opened it and his smile widened. "Kyo?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you order take out?" Hatori asked, holding up a riceball. He almost laughed as the color drained from Kyo's horrified face. He vaulted the back of the couch and slammed the lid onto the riceballs. Then he threw it back into the refrigerator.

"T-that…umm…I brought that with me!"

Hatori ran a finger thoughtfully across his chin. "Oh, I see. And it's lasted over two weeks?"

Kyo paled further as he let his mouth hang open, trying to think up an excuse. The dragon popped the riceball onto his mouth. There was no denying Tohru's cooking. "You know, I distinctly remember Tohru giving a bento like that to Haru."

Kyo snapped his mouth closed and glared at the doctor. "If you knew, then say it! Don't freak me out like that!" His eyes suddenly widened before narrowing again in anger. "Did you just eat one of my riceballs! Kami! You're as evil as Shigure!"

Hatori, who had been on the verge of laughing, suddenly went cold at Kyo's last comment. "That's not funny." He stated angrily. Kyo flashed him a victory grin, which in turn earned him an odd stare from Hatori.

"What?" Kyo asked, not liking the look the dragon was giving him.

"You." He answered, leaning on the table as he continued to stare thoughtfully at Kyo. "You're…different, Kyo. You didn't used to be like this."

"Like what?"

Hatori smiled. "Like, nice. You've smiled almost the entire time I've been here. And-" He gestured around the moderately clean room. "I'm guessing Kureno hasn't been cleaning."

Kyo scoffed. "What? Did you think I'd just sit in this filth?"

"The point is, you wouldn't have bothered improving your conditions before."

The cat frowned. "Before what?"

Hatori gave his all-knowing look. "You know who I mean." He straightened up and grabbed his bag before heading to the door. "I don't think it will be too much longer before Akito lets people visit, Kyo."

Kyo looked out the window and watched as Hatori locked the door behind him. "Hatori, do you think she-"

The dragon quicklyshook his head. "Tohru is not allowed inside the main gates. You know that, Kyo"

Kyo sighed heavily as disappointment filled his gaze. Yeah, I know…" He muttered, turning away form the window. Hatori watched as Kyo's good mood was gone in a flash. The cat walked away from the window, head down, shoulders slumped, without even giving Hatori a goodbye.

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AWWW! Poor Kyo... don't worry, it'll get better. Maybe. :evil laugh:

Kyo: what do you mean, "Maybe?" do you hate me that much?

Meh: Of corse I don't hate you, Kyo-Kyon!

Kyo: DON'T CALL ME THAT!

Yuki: It's better than-

Meh: YUN-YUN!

Yuki:sigh...:


	5. Waking Up

Hidy! Umm…I just wanted to say, for those who expect a huge fanfic….sorry. I've tried to write those…They suck… badly. :hides from angry reviewers: This one is actually halfway over! But, people seem to like my writing…. And I have like, a lot of fics… maybe I'll do another…

On to your new chapter!

* * *

**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 5-Waking Up**

Yuki groaned as he sat up, letting his covers fall heavily from him. He hated mornings. He knew Kami had mad morning just to screw with him.

He pushed out of bed and rubbed his eyes groggily. Mornings were especially hard after not sleeping most of the night before.

The rat rummaged through his packing boxes, looking for something to wear. He knew packing a month early for University was stupid, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to leave… badly.

As he changed and shuffled downstairs, Yuki wondered vaguely why he hadn't slept the night before. _'It was too quiet.'_ He answered with a sigh. It had been quiet for the last few weeks. And it was all that stupid cats fault. Before, the house was full of noise; petty arguments, People laughing, even the perverted comment from Shigure every now and then. All was quiet now.

Tohru was suffering. It was obvious to everyone. Gone where her silly grins and happy, sparkling eyes. She would force a smile when people were around, but it never reached her eyes anymore. They stayed sad and lonely. Most of the time she just sat there, staring off into space. She did cheer up slightly after talking with Haru yesterday, but she was still so sad.

Shigure was quiet, too. With Kyo as his main source of entertainment, He had no one left to tease. He had even stopped teasing Mii, giving her his manuscripts on time and with out argument. He spent a lot more time in his study now, only coming out for meals.

And himself? Yuki wasn't sure how he felt about Kyo's absence. At first, he told himself that he was glad the stupid cat was gone, and that it had nothing to do with the ache in his chest. But after Tohru's mental breakdown, he thought about it some more.

_'You miss him, don't you?'_

To be honest, there _was_ something missing inside of him. Some small hole that he couldn't pinpoint. He figured he must miss Kyo on some level, but that didn't mean he would ever, ever admit it.

"Yuki?"

The Rat looked up and saw Tohru's worried face inches from his own. "M-miss Honda?" he stuttered, leaning back from her.

"Are you not hungry, Yuki?"

He looked down and with a start realized he was halfway through his breakfast. He didn't even remember sitting down. He picked up chopsticks and gave Tohru a smile. "I'm sorry, Miss Honda. I was just thinking."

Tohru nodded and gave him one of her forced smiles. She picked up her and Shigure's empty dishes and carried them into the kitchen. Shigure waited until the door slid closed behind her before turning to Yuki. "Hari called this morning." He stated simply, the usual airiness gone from his voice.

Yuki swallowed down the riceball he was eating . "Ok, why are you telling me this?"

Shigure glanced at the kitchen door before continuing. "He saw Kyo last week."

Yuki's mouth dropped open.

"That was my reaction, too."

The rat bit his lip and frowned. "And?"

"And what?"

Yuki sighed. "How is he?"

Shigure let out one of his old smiles. "Why would you care? I thought you _hated_ Kyo?"

"I don't." Yuki said quickly, "I mean, I do hate him. I… I was just wondering."

The dog made a skeptic sound. "Oh, I see. Well, He said he's perfectly healthy, though not extremely happy."

Yuki leaned back. How was he supposed to feel about that? Part of him was relived that he was ok, yet another part of himself was angry at the first part for being worried on the cat's behalf. Yet a little part of him was worried that Kyo was not happy…

He collected his dishes and took them into the kitchen without a word. Tohru was at the sink, cleaning up. He smiled and slipped his dishes into the sink for her. "Oh, thanks, Yuki."

His smile faded when he realized that Tohru's small frame was wrapped inside Kyo's old hoodie. A flame of jealousy erupted in the pit of Yuki's gut. His hands shook and the plate he was still holding slid out of his grasp. It shattered as it hit the floor, jerking Yuki from his anger. "Oh, Yuki!" Tohru exclaimed, jumping at the sound. "Are you alright?"

The rat gave her a nod beforequickly exiting the kitchen. He leaned against the wall in the hallway, taking a few deep breaths to calm down. Why was he jealous? He had already sorted through his feelings about Tohru. He didn't love her the same way Kyo did.

That didn't stop the anger from bubbling over at the thought of Tohru in Kyo's clothes. Maybe it was simply the fact that Kyo had finally beaten him at something. Even though Tohru would never see the cat again, she still seemed deeply on love with him. He half wished he could trade places with the cat, wondering if Tohru would miss him as much.

Yuki gasped, horrified. No, trading places would be horrible. That would mean being locked up forever. He had been locked up with Akito before, but forever…

A frown grew on his face as a strange emotion erupted inside him, drowning out the hate and jealousy. Was it pity? Did he feel sorry for the cat? But…he hated Kyo! Kyo was the cat and he was the rat. That's the way it worked. It had been that way…forever.

Suddenly, to Yuki, that old excuse seemed stupid. They weren't really cat and rat, right? He had said it himself once, they were people. Haru had hated Yuki because of the assumption that he was thetrickster rat. Had he and Kyo been doing the exact same thing this entire time? Kyo saw Yuki as the deceiving rat and blamed him for all his problems. But Yuki was just as guilty. He saw Kyo as the cat that didn't belong, and didn't even give him a chance.

As Yuki realized this, the pity in his stomach grew into sadness. Sadness that Kyo was gone. Sadness that he didn't even say goodbye. Sadness that they couldn't have been…_friends. _

"Yuki? _Yuki!_"

The rat blinked and looked up from his crouched position in the hall. "Wha-?"

Shigure scrutinized him for a moment before handing him the phone. "Hari says he wants to talk to you."

The teen groaned and took the receiver from the dog. Today just wasn't going to be a good day…

* * *

Yey! This chapter is a lot longer than the others! Yuki isn't having a good day, is he?

Yuki: Don't forget your advertsing…

Isn't this story really good? I really hope you're allenjoying it.

Yuki:cough: Advertising?

I'll post the next chapter as soon as-

Yuki: ADVERTISEMENT, DAMMIT!

OH, yeah! I have art online! Yey! It's on My penname is InuyashasMate. Go check it out!

Yuki: geez…


	6. Acceptance

AHHH! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE BLAME ME, RITZU, FOR INUDANI NOT UPDATING FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK! I TAKE ALL THE BLAME! DO WITH ME WHAT YOU WILL! GAHHHHHHHH!

:ahem: Ok, now that I have kindly let Ritzu take full responsibility for my lateness, I shall also apologize for not updating. Because that's how good of a person I am.I was hit with a nasty bout of laziness… truly dreadful. Lots of sitting around the house doing absolutely nothing(long live the summer!) and staring at my fanfic, going "Huh… I _could _type it, you know….Oh well!" Then to top things off, I found a very long, very _AWSOME_, fanfic, so I could no nothing else but read. I'm sure you know how it is.

But now the wait is over and it's on to chapter 6!

* * *

**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 6- Acceptance**

A psychotic grin, one that only he himself could muster, passed slowly across Akito's pale face. "Yuki, it's truly wonderful that you could come and see me. I was worried that you'd forgotten about me."

Yuki flinched as the god's icy words washed over him. Akito was trying to be nice. That was never good. "Did you want to see me for something, Akito?" He asked, proud at the minimal amount of dread in his voice. Akito stood up and moved closer, causing the rat to draw back slightly.

"Come now, Yuki. It's just been so long since I've talked to you. And you are going away to collage in a few weeks." His eyes shone with amusement. "Though I don't know why you're even bothering. You know, eventually you will realize how truly useless you are." Yuki refused to look away from the god's pitiless eyes. Even though his entire being was screaming at him to run. Something bad was definitely going to come out of this. "Then, when you do realize this, you will come crawling back to me, begging for forgiveness. But don't worry…" He ran a single finger down the side of Yuki's cheek "…I'll forgive you."

Yuki couldn't take that. He forced his gaze away, pulling from Akito's touch. His fingers were deathly pale, more so than usual, and they were so thin… like merely a skeleton stretched with skin. Yuki had trouble hiding the disgust from his face.

Akito made a satisfied noise and leaned back. "You're _happy _at Shigure's now, right?" He asked after a moment. Yuki was taken aback.

The rat forced himself to gaze back up at Akito's eyes, which where glittering with malice. "Yes. I am very happy at Shigure's."

"Good. I thought that if I got rid of that monster of a cat, you would be happier."

"What!" Yuki blurted out, wincing as Akito's eyes narrowed. "I mean, it wasn't really you, right? The cat gets locked up because it's tradition."

"Oh, yes, yes he does." Akito answered, smiling once more. "But usually they have a little more… free reign, if you know what I mean." He shook his head in unconvincing pity. "He made a bet with me, though. Stupid monster. He told me he could beat you in a fight. In return, I would let him be a part of the zodiac. But if he didn't beat you before he graduated, which obviously he didn't, he had to be locked up early. He lost, we won, it's as simple as that."

Yuki stared at Akito, completely lost in shock. It was his fault. He was the reason Kyo was locked up now. It was all him… "That's not fair."

He froze in horror as the smile slid from Akito's face. _'Did I just say that! Oh, Kami…' _

"What did you just say?"

Again, Yuki spoke, even though another part of him was screaming to shut up. "Kyo… He shouldn't have been allowed to make that bet. It was stupid. I should of at least heard about it. He really shouldn't even be locked up. It's bending to the curse's will. We should be fighting-"

**_SMACK._**

Yuki's head jerked to the side as a sharp stinging erupted on his cheek. He looked up at Akito standing in front of him, livid with rage. Yet his eyes… his eyes were wide, fearful even. He raised his hand to strike again. "How_ dare _you." He hissed as though afraid to be overheard. "How _dare _you talk about defying the curse. No one can defy it, no one!" He took a few deep breaths before lowering his arm, looking exhausted.

"Get out." He rasped shakily. Yuki hastened to comply, making a mental note to never take calls from Hatori again.

He walked off across the compound, still shocked about Akito's outburst. His eye's had been so… scared. Was Akito afraid of going against the curse just as much as the rest of the zodiac?

Yuki stopped at a fork in the path. He looked left and saw the main gate standing like a beacon of safety. Looking right, he could make out the tops of the old, worn out houses on the other side of the compound.

_"They got him in one of the better houses over there, but Kyo's still in the middle of a bunch of old ruins."_

The rat sighed as Haru's voice echoed in his head before turning right, striding purposefully towards the center of the compound.

* * *

Kyo wiped the sweat off his brow as he finished his workout. _'Ya gotta keep in shape so you can sit on your ass all day.' _He thought sarcastically, wondering over to the table where Kureno had left his lunch. He pulled the box open and frowned at the contents inside. "Shougayaki… Haru would love this…" 

"They say shougayaki is good on hot days."

Kyo spun around and saw Yuki standing outside his window. His mouth fell open in surprise. "Wh- what the hell are _you_ doing here!"

Yuki braced his hands on either side of the window and frowned. "To be honest, I'm not really sure why I'm here."

Kyo scoffed and threw himself into a chair. He wasn't used to seeing Yuki without a disgusted look on his face. Usually directed at him. He pulled out a pair of chopsticks and started to eat.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Yuki asked finally. Kyo shot him a questioning look and swallowed his mouthful of food.

"Tell you what?"

"About the deal you made with Akito."

Kyo stopped with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "Who told you?" He asked angrily, ignoring the sauce dripping into his lap.

"Akito. Who else?"

The cat dropped his chopsticks, no longer hungry. He mentally cursed Akito a few more times. "It's not like it makes any difference." He muttered, pulling himself out of his chair.

"But it does, Kyo. All this time I thought you were fighting me because I am the rat. But that wasn't it, was it?"

"What are you-"

"You just didn't wanna take the chance."

"What chance? I don't even know what you're-"

Yuki slammed his hands on the window sill. "You didn't want to take the chance that we could have been friends, dammit!" He looked down avoiding Kyo shell-shocked gaze. "That's why you blamed all your problems on me! That's why you hid behind your hatred of the rat. Cause then it would be easier to fight me! SO then we could always be… enemies."

Yuki swallowed and fell silent, looking down at the ground. As Kyo stared at him, something seemed to loosen in his chest. He grabbed hold of Yuki's shoulder and shook it, making him look back up at him. He gave him a half-hearted smile. "You…you're right, Yuki. But there's no use worrying about it now."

The rat stared at him for a second before doing something totally unexpected. Reaching his thin arms through the bars in Kyo's window, he grabbed the cat and pulled him into an awkward hug. Kyo stood there for a moment, too shocked to move. Then he tentatively hugged Yuki back.

" Alright." Kyo said after a moment, pulling back and giving a manly cough. "That's enough. I don't need your girly germs all over me."

Yuki smiled. "Right. Your stupidity probably spreads like a disease." Kyo smiled back.

"Get outta here before some one finds you, you damn rat."

"Alright, you stupid cat."

* * *

AWWWWWWW! Wasn't that soo adorable! The cat and rat have shunned their differences and become… friends:sobs: 

**Yuki:** You wrote the damn story. Stop crying.

**Kyo:** Yeah, and I should sue you for making me hug that damn rat!

**Yuki: **I wasn't exactly jumping for joy either.

**Kyo:** You'll be hearing from our lawyers!

Humm…well…. I think I need to disappear for awhile. Subsequently, I am leaving tomorrow for North Carolina! Not to fear, I shall be back on the 5th, and if I have enough new reviews, I shall type till my hands bleed!

REVIEW!


	7. Decisions

Greetings, all! I am back from vacation and ready to bring you your next chapter! Yeah! Here I go!

* * *

**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 7 – Decisions **

_"What!"_ Akito hissed, spinning around to glare angrily at his rooster.

"Yes. Yuki was there." Kureno answered, bowing his head. "He was talking to Kyo. I saw him."

Akito stared at him for a moment before slamming his fist off the wall. "Dammit! What the hell do they thing they're doing. That makes five of them. Five of my zodiac members have visited without my permission!" He ticked them off on his fingers. "Haru, then Momiji, then Kagura, then Hatori….ok, I told Hatori to go….but now my Yuki has disobeyed me! Why! Why are the so disobedient! What is making everyone-" His eyes suddenly narrowed dangerously. "It's her, isn't it. It's that stupid, interfering, little _bitch._"

He back turned to Kureno. "Why? What is it about her that effects you all so much? Tell me!"

Kureno tentatively raised his head. His eyes were glowing with admiration. "Miss Honda … she … she's special. She accepts us for who we are, no questions asked." A far-off look passed across his face. "She makes us feel … normal."

Akito's pale lips drew up in a snarl and he raised his hand. Kureno flinched as it came down to strike him, stopping inches from his face. **"But you aren't normal!"** He bellowed, spit flying from his mouth. **"None of us are normal! We're all freaks! Abominations! Tiny scraps** **of human filth! That is why we Have to stay together! You all have to listen to me!"**

"But Miss Honda…"

"**That monster doesn't understand! She could _never_ understand us! She-" **Akito suddenly groaned, cutting off his tirade as he clutched at his chest. He sunk to his knees, gasping for breath, clinging to Kureno.

"Akito!" Kureno yelled, bending over him. "What's the matter? What hurts?" Akito opened his mouth, but all that came out was a wheezy hiss. "L-let me get Hatori!" He said, making to stand up. But Akito grabbed him by the front of his shirt and dragged him back down. Not knowing what else to do, he just kneeled there as Akito got his breath back.

"I-I'm fine." He stuttered after a few minutes, pushing himself back to his feet. His legs were shaking so badly, Kureno was surprised that he could stand.

"Akito, do you want me to get Hato-"

"I said I'm fine!" The god yelled, gathering back some of his steam. "It was just a little pain, nothing to worry about. Now get out."

"But-"

"OUT!"

The rooster stumbled back, startled by Akito's sudden outburst. He bowed and exited the room without another word.

* * *

Tohru shivered as an oddly cool wind brushed across her face. She pulled Kyo's old hoodie closer around her petite frame. His sent still emitted weakly from it; the distinct smell of sweat and the outdoors and the wild. She let the familiar smell wrap around her as she fell back against the smooth, cool roof tiles to look at the stars.

It was a very clear night. There was no moon, so the stars twinkled in the sky alone. Tohru saw a cat-shaped pattern of stars and thought immediately of her own angry cat. _'Kyo loved sitting out here. I wonder if Kyo is looking at the stars right now.' _Then another thought occurred to her. _'Can Kyo even see the stars? Oh, wait, Haru saw him. That must mean he has some type of window.'_

Tohru shook her head as her vision suddenly blurred. She made no move to wipe the tears away. She was used to the tears now. They always came when she thought of him.Though, she found it weird that she didn't cry like this when her mother had died.

'_You had to be strong.'_ She reminded herself. _'You had to find a new home, a job, and everything. Then you had to go off on your own. There just wasn't time to feel sad. And by the time there was, the hurt was already scabbed over.'_

"And now Kyo leaving has reopened that wound. I guess I've been crying for both Kyo and Mom. But what am I going to do now?"

She never applied to any collages and after graduation she had started working full time at her cleaning job. For now it was ok, but Yuki was going to university in the fall and Tohru… Tohru would be left all alone.

She had offered to move out of Shigure's house in the fall so she wouldn't be a burden, but the dog had broke down into great big tears and begged her on his hands and knees to stay. Finally Yuki had whapped him upside the head to shut him up.

Once, a few days after Kyo had left, she had thought of just running off. Just going somewhere far away and starting over. She had immediately stomped out the idea. Running away couldn't be the answer, right? But now she was considering it again. Hana and Uo had also applied to Universities, and although they had promised to visit when ever they could, she still felt left behind.

"Miss Honda?"

"EHHH!" Tohru screamed, nearly jumping from her skin. She spun around and saw Yuki's head peering over the edge of the roof. "Oh, Yuki! You scared me!"

Yuki half-smiled. "Sorry, I just heard a noise up here. I was just checking."

"I was watching the stars. I'm sorry if I woke you."

He shook his head. "No, Miss Honda, I was already awake. Sorry for bothering you." He looked away and started to climb back down.

"W-wait! Yuki?" He stopped, fixing her with his purple gaze. "Umm, would you mind staying up here for awhile. I mean, if you aren't sleeping. It's just it's kinda lonely by myself."

Yuki blinked at her question. Then he smiled and climbed the rest of the way up. He crawled over and laid down next to her to stare at the sky. They sat in silence for a moment before Tohru looked over at the rat. He was biting his lip and frowning rather guiltily. "Yuki? Is something the matter?"

He looked over at her, and his frown deepened. "…."

"Oh! It's alright if you don't want to tell me! I don't-"

"I saw Kyo." He blurted out. Tohru's brain slowed and her heart skipped a few times.

"Wha-what?"

Yuki sighed. "I saw Kyo two days ago."

Tohru's brain sped up again. "You did?" She asked, sitting up. "Is he alright?"

Yuki sat up as well. "He's fine. We…we talked. I mean, he's not happy or anything, but he's ok."

Tohru nodded and drew her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them. Kyo was….ok. That was good news.

"He wants to see you." Yuki whispered quietly.

She jerked her head up to look at the rat. "But I...I can't. I can't be let into the main house unless Akito invites me."

"So what?" Yuki countered, leaning back on his arms.

"I'll get into troub-"

"You _love_ Kyo, don't you?" He asked suddenly. Tohru blushed, but nodded.

"Yes." She said, "Yes I do."

"Then go to him. If you both love each other as much as I think you do, which is a lot, then you can't just give up on him."

"But Akito…"

"Screw Akito. Don't worry about him. Don't let him stand in your way. All that matters is that someone in this family makes it. You two deserve to be together."

Tohru smiled. Yuki knew just what to say sometimes. She stood up and took a deep breath. "Thanks, Yuki. I… thanks."

Yuki stood and grabbed her hand. "Come on. Let's go in Miss Honda."

"Tohru."

He turned back to her smiling face. "What?"

"We've been friends for over two years. I would like it if you called me '_Tohru'_."

"Alright…Tohru."

* * *

Ummm… Am I imagining things again or is that almost the same ending as the last chapter? Whatever. Yeah I finished! I was halfway through typing this chapter when I was called out side. When I went outside, I tripped and hurt my wrist very badly. So I'm showing ultimate devotion to you, my readers, by typing with a sprained wrist! OUCHY!

Oh, yeah, My favorite line in this chapter is "Screw Akito!"I've wanted someone to say that in the manga forever. But I want them to say it to his face, like "Screw_ you_ Akito!"Sogo Yuki!

Two More Chappies!


	8. Starting Over

Thank you, Boohbahs eat children, for those words of healing. My hand is all better now. Well, not really…

This is technically the last chapter. AHH! DON'T KILL ME! There is also a short little epilogue so don't worry. Like I've said before, the longer my stories get, the more they suck. I'm saving you from future torture. Oh well…

On to Chapter 8! Oh, Boy, golly gee!

* * *

**Unleashing the Monster**

**Chapter 8 – Starting Over **

_Kyo sighed contently as he hugged his riceball to his chest. They were lying in bed, covers pulled halfway over them. Tohru was fast asleep, a smile touching her lips. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed deep, taking in her sweet scent. He marveled at the simple fact of being able to hold her without transforming. He toyed with her hair, letting her silky brown locks fall through his fingers. She was so beautiful. _

Tap.Tap.Tap.

_Kyo's eyes widened in horror as he looked over and saw Akito standing outside the window, tapping against the bars set into them. "Good, It seems both monsters are locked up now. Though, we can't leave them together." Kyo looked back at Tohru's sleeping form only to see her disappear. _

_"NO!" Kyo yelled. Akito was laughing now, the sound piercing his ears…_

Kyo gasped and sat up on his futon. Outside, light was just starting to break over the horizon. He scowled at the dream as he wiped cold sweat from his face. "Dammit, what's the use of sleeping?"

It had been _so_ real. He could have sworn he smelled her flowery scent…

_Tap.Tap.Tap._

There it was again, that sound from the dream. He looked over at his window and what he saw made his heart nearly keel over.

It was Tohru.

_His _Tohru.

"Toh-Tohru?" He whispered, coming closer and hoping beyond hope that he wasn't dreaming. In the soft glow of the morning light, she looked like an angel. As soon as he had muttered her name, her face cracked into a smile and her eyes misted over.

"Kyo. Oh, Kyo, it's r-really you." She grabbed through the bars for his hand and pulled it to her face. "I missed you so, so much. I…" She shook her head, unable to continue, and lightly kissed his hand. "Good morning, Kyo."

Kyo dropped to his knees. She was really here. This was really Tohru. He slipped his other hand through the bars and cupped her face. "Tohru, wha…what are you doing here? Did Akito invite you?"

Tohru laughed and shook her head as tears streamed down her face. Kyo frowned and pushed them away with his thumbs. "There is a hole in the wall on the side of the compound. I s-snuck in." She seemed pretty proud of her feat.

Tohru, you could get in a lot of trouble. If Akito finds you here, you could have your memories suppressed."

Tohru's smile just widened. "Sc-screw Akito." She whispered, causing Kyo to stare in shock. Tohru _never _said _anything_ bad about _anybody._ "I'm not leaving without you, Kyo. I love you."

The cat drew in a sharp intake of breath. He already knew this, of course. But to hear her say it aloud…

He pulled her as close as possible. Resting his forehead on hers, he sighed. "Tohru, I…I love you, too. But-"

"Do you really?"

"Really what?"

Tohru gulped, more tears spilling over her cheeks. "Do you really love me?"

He smiled and kissed her. "Yes, more than anything."

She smiled, too. "Then let's go."

"What?"

"Go. Away from here. Away from this place. Somewhere know one knows the Sohmas or the curse or anything. We'll start over. Just the two of us."

"But…your job…"

"I can find a new one."

"But…But, Yuki…And Shigure…they-"

"They'll understand, Kyo. As long as I'm with you, I don't care."

Kyo stared into her chocolate eyes as he thought it over. She looked so hopeful. But they couldn't just leave.

Right?

* * *

"Kyo, I need to speak with you." 

Akito stood outside Kyo's door, smiling in a vicious way. When he didn't hear Kyo's huffy, agitated voice, irritation bit at him. "Kyo, when I call on you, I expect an answer."

Silence.

"KYO!" He yelled angrily, yanking a set of keys out of his pocket. "I swear, when I get in there, you are so-"

The door flew open with a bang and Akito's anger dissipated, replaced by pure shock.

A strong breeze flipped Akito's hair and he gritted his teeth at the source; a large, gaping hole in the opposite wall of the room. The room was clean and empty, save for a single piece of paper on the floor. The god walked into the room, his temper soaring, and snatched up the paper. His name was written on it in big bold letters. Narrowing his eyes, he opened it.

_Akito, _

_By the time you read this, me and Tohru will be long gone. I no longer wish to be a part of the zodiac, or your family. I don't want to play the role of the cat any longer. I want to be Kyo; the person, not Kyo; the freak. Maybe we should all stop hiding behind the curse and try to fight it. It's just a thought. _

_Anyway, I was gonna tell you some stuff I thought you needed to hear, But Tohru told me to be nice. I will tell you this, though. _DO NOT COME AFTER US!_ You will never find us. And if you do, you'll wish you hadn't. _

_That's all I got to say to you._

_Kyo Sohma_

_P.S. Tohru says bye._

Akito crumpled the note in his fist and stared out into the morning sunshine, pondering Kyo's words.

* * *

Kyo took a deep breath, taking in the fresh, clean air. Well, maybe the air in a train station wasn't that fresh, but it was better than his last predicament. 

He shifted enviously in his plastic chair and looked down at his left hand. His bi-colored bead gleamed menacingly in the sunlight, reminding him that he was still cursed. That he was only running away. Vaguely he wonder why he was doing this. No other cat had _ever_ denied their destinies and run off. What was his reason for doing so?

His 'reason' shifted next to him, her head rested on his shoulder, her hand intertwined with his. Kyo smiled and kissed her temple.

"_The train for Kyoto is now boarding. I repeat, the train for Kyoto is boarding."_

Tohru looked up at him, giving him a warm smile. "Is that ours?"

Kyo just shrugged. " It doesn't matter. Wherever you want to go."

"I don't care. Wherever is fine."

Kyo chuckled and kissed Tohru. "This could go on for awhile."

"_Last call for the train to Kyoto…"_

He stood and grabbed his bag before holding out his hand for hers. "Shall we?"

She smiled and grabbed his hand and her own bag. "To new Beginnings."

They got on the train, and as it started to move something warm erupted in Kyo's chest. This was it. They were leaving. The felling was thrilling and scary at the same time.

And he loved it.

* * *

WHHHAAAAHHHH! I'm DONE! NOOOOO! MUST….MAKE UP……NEW STORY! 

Yuki: Hold it!

Kyo: You still have one more thing to do.

Meh: Really? What?

Yuki: Meet our lawyers.

Lawyers: You've got quite a case on your hands, miss. Forcing charters to hug involuntarily…. Tisk, tisk….

Uh-oh…weeell, I gotta go! See you in the epilogue!


	9. Epilogue

Here is my final chapter of Unleashing the Monster. I'm very sad. I'm also sad because Kyo and Yuki have sued me and taken everything. I am now sitting in a box with my only possession; my computer. But I'll be ok! Don't worry about me! So long, farewell, I'll see you someday! Just stick me on your Author alert and patently await my return!

See ya!

* * *

**Epilogue**

Yuki sighed as he stepped into his dorm room and dropped his heavy bag at the door. College was hard. He passed his dresser and stopped momentarily in front of the mirror. He grimaced in disgust as he pulled his hair from its ponytail, letting it spill over his shoulders. He was looking too much like his brother for his own taste.

"YUN-YUN!" Manabe, his roommate, called. "You have ma-il!" Yuki ignored him. It was probably nothing. Or a letter from his brother. He didn't care about either.

"It's from Tohru!"

Yuki practically tackled Kankeru as he ripped the manila envelope from the ex-vice presidents grasp. He ignored his complaints about how he had hurt him and now he would be injured forever and pulled open the package. Inside was a picture and a letter.

Tohru and Kyo were standing, arm in arm, on the steps of a large shrine. They were both smiling and looked as though they couldn't be happier. The rat couldn't help but smile as well as he pulled out the letter.

_Dear Yuki,_

_How are you doing? How's college? I hope you're studying hard. But not to hard. You've got to have some fun. Me and Kyo are doing well. Kyo found a Dojo nearby to work at and I'm trying to start at a community college. I would tell you were, but Kyo's told me not to revile our location, in case Akito is still looking for us. _

_I really wanted to say how sorry I am for running off like that. I hope no one was mad. I do miss everyone, and I hope they are all ok. I think I feel worst about Shigure…can you make sure he's alright? I don't know how well he can do on his own. _

_I also wanted to thank you, Yuki, for everything. Well, I have to start dinner. Kyo is teaching the children today and he always gets cranky afterwards. I'll write again soon. _

_Lots of love, _

_Tohru Sohma_

Yuki stared at Tohru's signature for a moment before is sunk in. Looking back at the photo, he noticed that both Kyo and Tohru were wearing wedding kimonos. Yuki let out a laugh. 'Stupid, lucky cat.' He thought, setting the letter and picture on his desk. 'he had better take care of her…'

"YUN-YUN!" His ex-vise president called. "We're going to a party! You commin'?"

Yuki looked at his bulging bag of homework and opened his mouth to decline. Then he caught sight of Tohru's happy, smiling face.

'_You've got to have some fun…'_

"What the hell…" he whispered, shrugging. "Yeah! I'm coming!"

"You are! You're not staying behind an studying like you always do and-"

"Oh, shut up."


End file.
